LUNCH LADY AND THE CYBORG SUBSTITUTE

Age Range: 7 - 10

Pub Date: July 28th, 2009ISBN: 978-0-375-84683-0Publisher: Knopf

Punk Farm creator Krosoczka breaks out of picture books with this agreeably silly graphic novel for young readers. Classmates Hector, Dee and Terrence have always wondered about the Lunch Lady: What does she do when she’s not making chicken-patty pizza? Tending to her many cats? Taking care of her family? After some amateur sleuthing, the kids discover that their Lunch Lady is out fighting the forces of evil, of course, with her trusty sidekick, Betty. This dynamic duo uncovers a nefarious plot hatched by a villainous teacher to overrun the school with cyborg substitutes. Backed up by Betty’s ingenious arsenal of amalgamated cafeteria utensils including Spatu-copter, Chicken Nugget Bombs and Lunch Tray Laptop, the two are on the case. This graphic novel alternates between boxy, regular panels and full-page spreads, keeping readers’ visual interest piqued. Filled with goofy puns and grayscale art with cheery yellow accents, this is a delightfully fun escapist read. Be sure to recommend this to fans of Captain Underpants. Publishes simultaneously with Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians (ISBN: 978-0-375-94684-4; paper 978-0-375-84684-7). (Graphic fiction. 7-10)